Devices, systems, and methods for making and using circuit assemblies having a pattern of deformable conductive material formed therein are disclosed herein. In various aspects, a circuit assembly can include a substrate layer; a first pattern of deformable conductive material formed on a surface of the substrate layer using a removable stencil; and a first stacked layer configured to cover at least a portion of the first pattern of deformable conductive material.

Apparatus and method for assigning a material value score to a waste printed circuit board or a portion thereof and system for sorting waste printed circuit boards.

Methods and systems for recycling a printed circuit board (PCB). The printed circuit board is exposed to a swelling agent that causes an epoxy matrix of the printed circuit board to swell and disintegrate into particles. The particles of epoxy are then separated from the printed circuit board, leaving behind reinforcing fiber and metal containing components thereof. These remaining components are separated from each other and recycled separately using suitable processes. The epoxy particles are also recovered, and may be reduced to a monomer for use in synthesizing new epoxy. The swelling agent includes a carboxylic acid, preferably formic acid, as an active ingredient.

Methods and systems for recycling a printed circuit board (PCB). The printed circuit board is exposed to a swelling agent that causes an epoxy matrix of the printed circuit board to swell and disintegrate into particles. The particles of epoxy are then separated from the printed circuit board, leaving behind reinforcing fiber and metal containing components thereof. These remaining components are separated from each other and recycled separately using suitable processes. The epoxy particles are also recovered, and may be reduced to a monomer for use in synthesizing new epoxy. The swelling agent includes a carboxylic acid, preferably formic acid, as an active ingredient.

A control unit has a substrate with an electrically conductive structure, an integrated circuit device, which is installed on the substrate in an electrically conductive manner, and a sacrificial structure on the substrate. The sacrificial structure is configured to be irreversibly destroyed if the integrated circuit device is removed from the substrate. The electrically conductive structure has at least one conducting track applied to the substrate. The sacrificial structure is formed by a segment of the conducting track. An electrically insulating connecting layer that connects the integrated circuit device, the substrate, and the segment of the conducting track is formed. The sacrificial structure can be destroyed by the connecting layer when the integrated circuit device is removed.

A method for processing a PCBa panel to individualize the PCBa's on the PCBa panel and depanel the PCBa panel in substantially one step is described. The PCBa panel initially comprises a number of PCBa's having components and traces common to a number of different product SKUs. During processing, the PCBa panel is loaded into a machine containing a first and second laser. The first laser severs extra traces on each PCBa to individualize the PCBa's for specific SKUs and the second laser cuts the links between each PCBa, thereby depaneling the PCBa panel.

Systems and methods of the invention generally relate to altering the functionality of a non-transient electronic device. A container holding an agent is located proximal to a non-transient electronic device capable of performing at least one function. The agent is capable of rendering the device incapable of performing the at least one function. The container is configured to controllably release the agent to the electronic device in a variety of passive and active eventualities.

The invention provides transient devices, including active and passive devices that electrically and/or physically transform upon application of at least one internal and/or external stimulus. Materials, modeling tools, manufacturing approaches, device designs and system level embodiments of transient electronics are provided.

The invention provides transient devices, including active and passive devices that physically, chemically and/or electrically transform upon application of at least one internal and/or external stimulus. Incorporation of degradable device components, degradable substrates and/or degradable encapsulating materials each having a programmable, controllable and/or selectable degradation rate provides a means of transforming the device. In some embodiments, for example, transient devices of the invention combine degradable high performance single crystalline inorganic materials with selectively removable substrates and/or encapsulants.

The invention discloses improvements and additional uses of thermo-mechanical processes using a rotary kiln for the separation of parts from a device that are held together by various means such as solder, epoxies, glues, and/or any other thermally degradable adhesives or underfills, and which is suitable for material size reduction via thermal decomposition of encapsulant materials such as integrated circuit casings or thermally degradable materials such as carbon-based hydro processing catalysts. The invention includes further sorting the materials according to predetermined size either in-situ or in series using a meshed vibrating table downstream of the rotary kiln. These devices can include, but not limited to, printed circuit boards, catalysts, solar panels, and the like.